A task that is commonly performed in computing environments is copying and pasting text in documents of various types. Many different approaches are known, but determining a optimal approach for particular situations is challenging. Typical copy and paste systems use a clipboard, smart clipboard, automatically populated clipboard or drop-down list, etc.
One area of particular interest in manipulating and copying and pasting text is in the field of creating logic code for running on computer systems. Such code is typically written in a computer programming language and is typically created using a document or text editor on a computer system. One example of text modification or editing functionality designed for such systems is discussed in TECHNIQUES FOR OFFERING AND APPLYING CODE MODIFICATIONS, US Application 2009/0254880 A1, filed Apr. 3, 2008, which discusses a system wherein code snippets are previously identified and stored prior to use. In contrast to the present invention, it does not suggest a command set or mechanism that specifies replacement information. It only allows previously identified “placeholder” text to be replaced.
United States Patent Application 20090006967 A1, LIVE COPY-PASTE, provides for copying and pasting information from one application to another that allows identical information to be present in multiple locations. Pasted information can be updated based on changes to the source of the pasted information. With updating pasted information, the information can remain identical in both locations even if a change takes place after the paste.
When writing certain types of digital documents (source code in particular, but also various legal, technical, or database documents) there tends to be text patterns in the document or source code (referred to herein as “code snippets” or “snippets”) that emerge dynamically during the writing process. When the snippets are of common use, they are can be saved into a snippet data store for reuse. However, snippets that emerge dynamically and are not of common use present a challenge to the programmer. Currently, programmers deal with these snippets through a lengthy and error prone copy, paste, and replace process. This process generally consists of:                Copying the snippet (by selecting text using a mouse or other method and then invoking a copy action).        Moving the cursor to just below the snippet or to another desired paste location.        Pasting the copied snippet into the new location.        Using the mouse or moving the cursor to the sections of the copied snippet that require replacement.        Deleting pieces of the copied code that need replacement and replacing the code.        Repeating all of these steps for each reuse of the snippet.        